Le marchand de sable
This song is a poem by Sophie Hüe (1815-1893) published in the late 1800's. It seems this song was taught in schools in the late 1800's to the early 1900's.
Le marchand de sable
The Sandman
Chanson enfantine
Children's Song
(French)
(English)
Il est parait-il un petit vieux
Qui vient le soir jeter du sable
Dans tous les pauvres petits yeux
Des enfants qui sortent de table
Refrain :
Le vieux dans son sac puise et crac crac
Tout s'envole et se verse on dirait une averse
Le vieux dans son sac puise et crac crac
Par où vient-il dans nos maisons
C'est par le trou de la serrure
Il a sans doute des chaussons
Nul ne l'entend je vous assure
(Refrain)
L'enfant veut rester éveillé
Malgré lui se clôt sa paupière
Et le voilà tout habillé
Dormant dans les bras de sa mère
(Refrain)
Passez, passez bon petit vieux
Dit la maman mon fils sommeille
Allez plutôt clore les yeux*
Du pauvre qui souffre et qui veille
(Refrain)
Le vieux dans son sac puise et crac crac
Tout s'envole et se verse on dirait une averse
Le vieux dans son sac puise et crac crac.
There is, they say, a little old man
Who comes at night to throw sand
Into the poor little eyes
Of the children who leave the table.
(Chorus)
The old man draws from his bag and crack, crack
Everything flies up and falls down, it looks like a rain shower,
The old man draws from his bag and crack, crack.
From where does he enter our homes?
It's through the keyhole.
He, no doubt, has slippers,
Nobody hears him I assure you!
(Chorus)
The child wants to stay awake.
In spite of himself his eyelids shut,
And here he is, fully dressed,
Sleeping in his mother's arms.
(Chorus)
"Pass by, pass by, good little old man,
Says the mother, my son is sleeping.
Instead go shut the eyes
Of the poor one who suffers and stays awake.
(Chorus)
The old man draws from his bag and crack, crack
Everything flies up and falls down, it looks like a rain shower,
The old man draws from his bag and crack, crack.
Notes
"Crack, crack" is an onomatopoeia for the action of throwing the sand or opening the hand to do so.
*Or "Mais allez voir aussi les yeux" (But go also see the eyes) - This seems to be a later alternate line as the style doesn't match the rest of the poem.
***
You can listen to Le Marchand de Sable here.
It seems the original poem was only verses 1, 2 and 4 and no chorus as can be seen on this page. The original book in which it was first published isn't yet available in digital format at the BNF (France National Library).
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Monique Palomares with Lisa.
